TSF’s Summer Solstice “yellow-carpet” event, to be held on the panoramic rooftop used to tape CBS’s Sunday Morning with Bob Schieffer, occurs on the longest day of the year, Saturday, June 21. The event will also serve as the signature activity for the #PutSolarOnIt National Day of Action, a broad-reaching effort involving a coalition of 30 organizations working to raise awareness of solar on June 21. Billy Parish, a key leader of the effort and Founder and President of solar investment platform Mosaic, will deliver remarks at The Solar Foundation’s Summer Solstice.

The 4th Annual Summer Solstice Gala is sponsored by Sungevity, Jones Day, Community Power Network, and Solar Power World.

“We are proud to lend our support to The Solar Foundation’s Summer Solstice,” said Andrew Birch, Sungevity’s Chief Executive Officer. “The solstice is a great opportunity to reflect on the increasing value of solar energy to the world, and The Solar Foundation’s research is a critical asset in quantifying and understanding that value.”

The Solar Foundation awardees were nominated by the public and chosen from five distinct categories by a committee of leaders from across the solar industry. The awardees are as follows:

Individual Achievement Award – Commissioner Lauren “Bubba” McDonald, Georgia Public Services Commissioner since 2008, for spearheading the Georgia Public Services Commission’s first 50 MW solar program in 2011, and for working tirelessly to open the door for solar progress in Georgia. In three years, Georgia has become the fastest growing solar market in the nation.

International Programs Award – Solar Sister, a nonprofit based in Bristol, RI, for empowering more than 600 Solar Sister Entrepreneurs who have, in turn, brought life transforming solar power to over 100,000 Africans in Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria,South Sudan and Rwanda.

Technology Innovation Award – Quick Solar, a San Diego, CA based company, for innovation in satellite imagery to allow solar professionals to communicate quickly and effectively with potential customers and simplifies the process of going solar for both customers and installers.

K-12 Schools Award – Dublin City School District (GA) Superintendent Chuck Ledbetter for his outstanding dedication to install more than 1 MW of solar at Dublin High School, saving significant costs for the entire school district over the life of the project and earning high praise from his community.

Industry Advancement Award – Clean Energy Collective, a Carbondale, CO based company, for its innovative approach to community-owned solar. Through its pioneering model, Clean Energy Collective has built or has under development 40 community solar projects with 18 utility partners across 7 states, representing 26 MW of community solar capacity.

“The Solar Foundation awards recognize outstanding achievements and leadership in the solar industry,” said Thomas P. Kimbis, Chair of The Solar Foundation. “It is an honor to recognize the work of these diverse solar leaders across the nation. Each is worthy of hearty congratulations.”

The Solar Foundation’s Summer Solstice is an annual occasion that raises awareness and support for solar research and education. For more details about the event click here: http://solstice14.eventbrite.com

About The Solar Foundation:

The Solar Foundation® (TSF) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to increase understanding of solar energy through strategic research that educates the public and transforms markets. Since 2010, TSF has published its annual National Solar Jobs Census, which established the first credible solar jobs base line for the U.S. TSF is considered the nation’s authority on the solar labor force and advises many organizations on the topic. TSF is also a leading provider of educational materials on the economic impacts of solar for local governments through its work with the U.S. Department of Energy. In addition, TSF chairs the National Solar Schools Consortium, a group of stakeholders seeking to make solar a larger part of the national K-12 system.